You know, I'll take your hand
by Jaded Angel
Summary: AU. HHR. Sometimes the person you least suspect, is the one you were always thinking of. Hermione’s spine had chills going down it as his voice tickled her ear. She looked over her shoulder and smiled brightly at him.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own ANYTHING. Understood, nothing, natta, zip, nilch! The Characters to story, the eternal Glory… All belongs to J. K. Rowling, a goddess among mortals.

**Author's Note:** So, it's my first Harry Potter story, go me! Let's see, it has **HHR**, **GWDM**, probably **RWLL**, and whatever my mind comes up with. There is also **HGRW HPCC HPGW DMPP**… but they're mostly only mentioned. Some ground rules, if you do not like any of the couples, don't read. I don't read stories where I may not like the couple, I stick to what I enjoy. Yes, yes grammar and such is a little iffy, if you would like to beta for me, tell me (we also might want to explain it to me as well). The plot… well, it's a work and progress, basically it'll ultimately be HHR. I think it's more friendship into love then anything else. ALSO I ignored SEVERAL details from the series. Voldermort is dead, I don't care how he died, we're going to pretend that he was killed early in the summer, maybe late in 6th year. Snape is alive, but not mentioned… we're going to pretend he went to a nice little island to worship Lily. Lupin and Fred are alive, because, well, I am in love with the twins and it's Lupin (Harry is just not loosing every freakin' semi-member of his extended family.) Dumbledore… he's not mention and I have no realistic ploy to involve him in the story. But we'll see. Lupin is a teacher for the Dark Arts and I kept Slughorn as the Potions Teacher. There will be MANY a mention of Gryffindors esp. Seamus (I heart him). Hmm… I just ranted, very good then. I think that's it, any questions place them in the review and I'll answer 'em. (BTW if there's a song at the beginning of the Chapter, most likely it has very little or nothing to do with the chapter… I am just a little hopped up on the Codeine… Yay me! (it will eventually get more mushy and romantic, PROMISE)

**Summary:** Alternative Universe, set in 7th year. Harry and Hermione are Head boy and girl. Friendships come and go as well as relationships, but what happens when two people see each other every day, but finally look at one another in a new light. Sometimes the person you least suspect, is the one you were always thinking of.

* * *

I'm sorry for the fact that I'm not aware, that you can't sleep at night when I am not there I'm sorry for the things that I did not say, like how you are the best thing in my world  
And how I'm so proud to call you my girl. I understand that there's some problems  
And I'm not too blind to know, all the pain you kept inside you  
Even though you might not show. If I can't apologize for being wrong  
Then it's just a shame on me, I'll be the reason for your pain  
And you can put the blame on me, you can put the blame on me  
I'm sorry for the things that he put you through, And all the times you didn't know what to do  
He got up and left you there all alone. I'm sorry that you had to do it on your own  
Even though the blame's on you, I'll take that blame from you

**-Sorry, Put the Blame on me-**

* * *

"Check mate!" Harry glared at his best friend and pushed himself up from the floor. Watching Ron throw his arms up and do some ritual victory dance was enough to make anyone ill. He shook his head and looked behind him to see Ginny rolling her eyes at her brother from the arm chair next to the fire place. "Victory is mine!"

"Geez Ron, you think you'd never won before." Ginny said, looking down at the book in her lap.

"Ah, but you see my dear sister, it's the fact that I am champion and Harry is merely a fan of my wondrous power." Ron had a smug look on his face as Harry stared with him, eyes the size of saucers.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"It's ok mate, I understand." Ron patted his best friend's shoulder. "I can be a little intimidating."

"The only thing intimidating is the fact that your head hasn't exploded from your overly large ego." Ginny mumbled.

"Want to have another go?" Ron began placing the pieces back on the board, ignoring his sister.

"No." Harry stood up and dusted himself off. "I have to get back to the tower, I need to patrol."

"Come off it, what are you patrolling for?" Ron stated, leaning back on his legs. "Who in there right mind is going to be doing anything with Hermione the fierce walking up and down the corridors?"

"You never know." Ginny said, turning a page. "Draco likes his night time strolls."

"Is that you subtly telling me that you and Draco are going to be out past curfew?" Harry asked, walking towards the port hole.

"I am just saying." Ginny shrugged, still not looking up.

"Ew." Ron stuck out his tongue, pretending to vomit. "I really should tell mom and dad about this."

"Good thing they already know."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY_ KNOW_?" Harry took this as his cue and quickly climbed out of the port hole.

"I wish they would learn to keep their voices down." The Fat Lady yawned. "They always keep me up."

Harry nodded, walking towards the far tower, where he and Hermione shared their dorms as Head Boy and Girl.

The walk was not too long from the Gryffindor tower, which made it easy when he wanted to hang out with Ron on his breaks. Though sometimes it was easier not to venture, because lucky for him the tower was not too far from the teacher's leisure area. And there was always a teacher or two lurking from the corridors.

"Cabbage Fudge." The knight saluted him and then moved to the right, allowing Harry to walk into his tower.

He smiled as he saw Hermione laying on the sofa across from the fireplace. Her eyes were shut and she looked incredibly peaceful.

"Hey, 'Mione, we have to patrol." Harry stated, walking the length of the common room. He had long given up the gentle wake up calls. She either ignored him or hit him, depending on how long she had been napping.

"What?" Her voice was groggy, her brown eyes still closed to the world.

"We have to patrol, come on." Harry gently swatted her legs. He sat in the arm chair and watched her. "Mione, come _on_."

"Ok, ok." Her eyes flashed open and then closed, they slowly fluttered open. "Why do we have to patrol?"

"I don't know." Harry laughed. "You said we had too, I always left the details to you."

"We don't have to." Hermione mumbled. Harry shook his head.

"Come on, I'll wait for you outside." He gently swatted her legs again and walked back out into the corridor.

"Getting ready for your nightly patrol?" Harry spun around and smiled as Professor Lupin came behind him.

"Just waiting for Hermione." Lupin nodded and looked around.

"It's probably going to be a boring night. You realize this, of course." Harry nodded. "I was on my way to my office. Slughorn kept babbling about something or another."

"How's Tonks?"

"Good, good." Lupin gave a tired smile and looked towards the knight that stepped aside to let an angry Hermione out.

"Can we get this over with?" Her voice was harsh, alarming both Harry and Lupin. They exchanged a look and took a step back.

"You two have a wonderful stroll." Lupin turned around and quickly made his departure.

"Oh no." Hermione hung her head. "I didn't _even_ see him. Oh dear, I feel terrible now."

"What about me?"

Hermione looked at him and shrugged. "I can live with you being frightened."

"Of you, I was frightened of you." Harry said, keeping his distance from his best friend.

Hermione began to walk towards the dungeons. "Well, that's simply all the better, now isn't it?"

Harry sighed and followed, remaining a few steps behind her.

----------------------------

They had been patrolling for a little over an hour and it was already ten fifteen. Harry yawned widely but remained alert for any activity. Other then the occasional spook from Peeves, a run in with Dean and Parvati, Draco and Ginny (who had run into the duo early, and were told off by a tired and angry Hermione), Professor McGonagall, a Hufflepuff by the name of Rose Zeller, and Ron, who was trying to sneak sweets from the kitchens (who was also told off by Hermione), Harry and Hermione were becoming steadily bored.

"You would think he would have some common sense." Hermione was still on Ron trying to sneak down to the kitchens. Harry decided against telling Hermione that Ron snuck down to the kitchens almost every other night because Harry had told him how the patrols went. It was just bad luck for Ron that Hermione had spent so long telling Draco and Ginny off, that the two were slightly behind on their schedule. "Honestly, the boy is such a prat."

Harry shook his head and continued to look around the corridors, he noted how the paintings looked serene as they slept. How he wished he could sleep. He wasn't as lucky as Hermione to catch a nap.

Hermione, on the other had, looked wake and fresh. Her hair was tied back and she had a slight march in her step, almost as if she was going to conquer every evil they encountered.

"Are we done yet?" Harry whined. His body was hurting and there was just so much they could prevent from happening in deserted hallways.

"Almost." Hermione huffed. "I still can not believe what a prat Ron was."

Harry rolled his eyes. Hermione's telling off was on of the first real interactions between the two in the past two months. After dating at the end of 6th year, Hermione and Ron found themselves too tired to deal with each other by the beginning of August. So, they broke it off. It was already October and the two barely had civil words for each other. Hermione noted to Harry that she still cared for Ron, but she realized that they are better off as friends, and they'll get back to that point soon enough. Ron, while drinking a butter beer and watching Dean and Seamus arm wrestle, merely rolled his eyes and claimed Hermione was simply 'barking mad'.

"Don't let it get to you." Harry mumbled. He had gotten in the middle of too many Ron versus Hermione fights.

"Draco!" Harry's head shot up as he stared at the blonde hair, grey eyed boy.

"Hello Potter, Granger." He smiled and nodded in their direction.

It had come as a great surprise when Ron had found Ginny wrapped in the arms of Draco Malfoy towards the middle of 6th year. Ginny had shrugged it off and said it was a bet, while Draco generally ignored the whole situation. However, Harry and Ron would often catch them snogging in secluded corners of the school. Ginny had admitted to the relationship and Draco, while still being the git he was, was now nicer to the lot of them.

"I _thought_ I told you to go back to _bed_." Draco's smile wavered as Hermione's face reddened.

"I, um, I am going back to bed. I had to escort Ginny back to her room." Harry was between a rock and a hard place, he wanted to be angry as Hermione was, simply because it was Draco, but he also wanted to laugh because the whole situation was humorous.

"We ran into you, what," Hermione glanced at Harry and then back at Draco. "An hour ago? And you now have safely gotten Ginny to her room?" If steam could burst from people's ears, Harry had a feeling Hermione would be whistling like a kettle.

Draco stood, mouth slightly open, eyes flickering at Hermione's face and her hands, waiting for her wand to be drawn.

"I think Malfoy wanted to give Ginny a proper farewell until the morning." Harry cleared his throat. "It's best we let him get to his dorms. We don't want to keep him out in the corridors any longer then he has to be, do we?" Harry gently place his arms around Hermione, willing her to walk around Malfoy, to continue their patrol. As soon as they cleared Malfoy, Harry turned and gave a sharp nod to him. Malfoy did not waste his time, and sprinted down the hallway.

"See, all better." Harry smiled as he let go of Hermione. "Now, can we please go get some sleep. Slughorn has some weird test thing, and I would like to _not_ pass out in the middle of it."

"Fine." Hermione stomped ahead of Harry. With a sigh and a pleading look to the ceiling, Harry began to jog to keep up with his best friend.

--------------------

Ron sat with his head against the table, moaning as if he was in pain. Harry, who seemed to not be hearing his best friend, continued to eat his lunch happily.

"What's wrong with you mate?" Seamus asked, sitting across from the two. "Ya look like ya ate a bowl of shite."

"That's _such _a lovelyimage." Parvati stated slightly down the bench from the boys.

"I bet it is." Seamus smile brightly, earning a rather rude look from his fellow Gryffindor.

"I failed that test, I know I failed that test. Mum is going to kill me when she finds out I failed that test." Ron stated, talking into the table.

"I highly doubt you failed." The three boys looked up to see Hermione standing a little ways away from them. She was holding several books, which she slammed down next to Harry. "I have to go ask Flitwick something, make me a plate?"

Without waiting for Harry's answer she walked briskly over to the staff table.

"She never fails anything, she doesn't understand." Ron placed his head back on the table and continued to talk into it. Harry rolled his eyes as he poured food on to Hermione's plate. Feeling someone watching him he picked his eyes up from the food to see a beaming Seamus.

"What?" His voice was full of confusion.

"When did you and Hermione get together? Or are you just her boy toy?"

"What are you talking about?" Harry looked back down at Hermione's plate.

"You're serving her? Mate, come on, that's the woman's job." He barely felt the book that came in contact with the back of his head as Lavender gasped. The two boys looked to see Parvati with said book in her hand, a nasty look on her face. "I mean, um, It's just, I--"

"Stop." Lavender voiced, a haughty look on her face. "Just stop."

Seamus looked back at Harry and shrugged. "I was just curious on when I should expect the wedding invitation."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just making lunch a little easier for Mio-- Hermione." Harry turned back to his plate and continued to eat.

"How do you know everything she likes?" Harry looked sideways from his plate to see Ron's cheek pressed against the table (as if he was listening to what was going on under the bloody thing). "I mean, how can you _remember_ stuff like that."

"It's called being perceptive." Parvati stated, staring at Ron and Seamus with daggers in her eyes.

"Some boys are just _cut out_ to be worthy of us women." Lavender added her two cents.

"Hey, I'm worthy of women." Ron said, still remaining with his face against the table.

"Of course you are." Hermione's voice chimed in as she sat next to Harry, unaware of the conversation that had taken place. "And one day your worthiness will shine brightly past your ego and hot temper, so everyone can see it."

Ron scowled and turned his head so that his forehead was once again pressed into the table.

"So," Seamus smiled brightly again. "When is that wedding-- OW!" Seamus' hand flew to the back of his head as he turned and glared at Parvati. He slid down the bench, mentally estimating Parvati's reach.

Harry gave a grateful look to Parvati, who was too absorbed in staring Seamus into nothingness, to notice.

"Is someone getting married?" Hermione looked around.

"No, Seamus was just being a prat." Lavender smiled, reaching over and patting Hermione's hand. "Nothing to worry about dear."

Hermione looked at Lavender and then at Harry, who shrugged. She looked past him to see Ron banging his head on the heavy oak.

"Did I miss something?"

"Nothing more then usual." Parvati stated, placing the book between her and Lavender, her hand ready to grab it.

"We were discussing you and Har--" Seamus fell backwards dodging the book that was now sitting in his place. Parvati was leaning down talking very quickly in what Hermione suspected was Indian. Harry was turning red and poking his fork hard into his food, Lavender was rolling her eyes mumbling 'prat', and Ron, oblivious to all, was still banging his head.

"Seriously, what did I miss?"

---------

Harry sat in Transfiguration, listening to McGonagall lecture about the importance of concentration. She seemed to find this an important topic because of the 'lacking' of attention spans her students held. Neville being a prime example in many of her lectures.

"Harry, _Harry,_" He turned to his left to see Ron pointing at his notebook.

Harry glanced at McGonagall who was staring at Seamus with such intensity, he was sure Seamus might burst into flames.

"_I need a quill_." Harry rolled his eyes and tossed Ron the quill that was sitting on top of his notebook. Ron smiled and quickly began writing.

Harry looked back over to McGonagall who was now telling Seamus off for throwing a paper airplane at Lavender and Hannah Abbot, a Hufflepuff student. He was unsure of why Ron needed to take notes, considering they had the same concentration lecture for the past seven years.

"Now, as you may all know," McGonagall stared at each of them. "With N.E.W.T.S at the end of the year, I advise you _all_ to be putting extra work into each of your assignments. I promise you, that if you do not do well, you will certainly fail at life."

The class seemed to drop their jaws. McGonagall was a rough teacher, but this seemed to be down right cruel. Harry looked to see Neville almost in tears.

"Well, you will not fail in life." McGonagall was watching Neville as well. "I'm emphasizing the point of doing well and working hard. You don't get ahead by falling behind."

Harry noted that this only furthered Neville into desperation and tears. McGonagall gave a curt nod, indicating her class could leave. She simply placed a handkerchief on Neville's desk before walking towards the front of the room.

"That was a bloody cruel thing to do." Ron stated as they entered the hall. "It's like she's scaring us into working harder."

"She _is_ scaring you into working harder." Hermione shook her head. "The teachers are going to be pulling every trick in the books to keep us on our toes. They want us to do well."

"By scaring us?" Ron shook his head and grunted. "Fred and George had the right idea."

"Yes, well, we all can not be as fortune as them." Hermione stated.

Harry could feel an argument coming on.

"You are just jealous that lady luck fell at their knees and you have to work hard to get anything in life."

"Lady luck, huh? I don't see why I would _ever_ want to work at a joke shop with no schooling and no prospect of having a _real_ job."

"They're rolling in money. Hard earned money."

"Money stolen from pranksters and future criminals."

"At least they know when to have fun, they don't always have their nose in a book."

"I know when to have fun, Ronald, I choose to work as hard as I can."

"Probably why you're going to be alone!" Harry stopped as Hermione froze. Ron, still teetering on anger didn't seem to realize or care what he had just said.

"I don't always work hard, Ron." Hermione's eyes froze as she stared at him. "It didn't take any work to get you _or_ to drop you." And without a second glance or another word, Hermione ran down the corridor.

"RON!" Harry turned to see an even angrier red head then before. Ron's face and ears were bright red, and his eyes were in slits. Harry backed down instantly.

"Well, bloody Ha-ha. Mark my words, that girl is going to be alone for the _rest_ of her life." Ron turned and stalked down the hall, pushing a fifth year into wall.

Harry looked towards where Hermione ran and then to the retreating back of Ron. He turned and walked down the corridor that would lead him away from both of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Same as before, I own nothing :) Story or Song

* * *

Tells me everyday I'm his everything and I never got that from you  
So don't try to change my mind 'cause I've had enough this time  
And you always let me down and now you can't turn your back around  
Ain't it cold when the one you love lets you go and you got no one to hold  
That's the way you make me feel boy, it's cold on the other side, yes I know  
It's time to let you go, love can be so cold. The tables turned and nothing stays the same  
There's not much to say, the memory of you and me is gone. Today is a brand new day  
'Cause you said you'll be fine without me, but love gets tricky when you're all alone 

**-So Cold (Paula Deanda)-**

* * *

It was well past eleven and the moon was shining brightly into the corridors. Harry walked through the entrance to the Heads tower. His robe was slung over his shoulder, his white shirt was un-tucked and his tie hung limply around his neck.

"Hey." He looked up to find Hermione sitting on the couch across from the fireplace. He could see the tissues poking out from behind the throw pillow that she was leaning against. "Where were you?"

"Well," Harry strolled over and sat on the armchair, looking at Hermione with a tired expression. "I was in Greenhouse 2 with Neville for a little while. Then I hung out at the lake with Parvati, Lavender, and Padma, by the way, yellow drowns out my skin tone. I had dinner with Dobby. I went to the Quidditch Pitch with Seamus and Dean. At some point I went to the library with Ginny. I patrolled for a good hour and a half. And now I'm here." Harry shrugged. "I'm glad you and Ron found new hiding places."

Hermione bit her lip and looked towards the fire.

"I am sorry Harry. I don't… I don't even know what we were fighting about. I don't know why we keep getting into these ridiculous arguments." Tears started to form in her eyes.

Harry jumped out of the chair and onto the couch, bringing Hermione into his arms.

"We always use to do this." Her voice broke. "We'd get into the _most_ ridiculous fights, I couldn't even tell you what they were about. Finally I was like 'I am done'. And he agreed. That was it." A sob escaped her voice, but her eyes remained looking at Harry. "I thought… I thought we were just having some lover quarrel. I am such an idiot."

"You are not an idiot." Harry soothed.

"I am, I really am. I wanted him to be someone else. Someone who listened, who just wanted to be together. I wanted him to be more like--" Hermione broke off, staring into Harry's eyes. She blinked and realized how close their faces were to each other. She blinked and looked down at her hands, noting how warm Harry felt. "I wanted him to _care_."

"He does care." Harry stated. "He's just bitter about the whole thing, ya know. He'll get over it."

"Oh Harry!" Hermione crashed her face into his chest, tears soaking through his thin shirt.

"Mione, it's ok." Harry patted her back. "He does care, he's just being a git. Besides, you still have me." Harry pulled her away and gave her a bright smile. "I'll always care about you."

Harry, thinking he had done the trick, began to release his hold on her, however, Hermione's face scrunched up and she began crying even harder. Harry panicked and once again grabbed her against him.

"Shh, Mione, it's ok."

-----------------

Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table glaring over towards the Slytherin table. Harry walked in, yawning and flopped down across from her. He reached over and grabbed a biscuit, looking up to meet two rather angry looking brown eyes.

"What I do?" Harry asked, stuffing the biscuit into his mouth.

"That cow Pansy is flirting with Draco. She's such a heifer." Harry turned and looked to see Pansy leaning over Draco to get something from a bowl, giggling as he talked. Harry turned back around and swallowed his food.

"What do you care? Malfoy isn't paying her any kind of attention. Besides, she wasn't the one snogging him in the library."

Ginny blushed, a scowl still on her face. "Yes, well, that's not the point. I'm making him sit with us."

"Oh no you aren't." Dean said, glaring over towards the Slytherin table. "I prefer not being made fun of first thing in the morning."

"Draco isn't going to make fun of you."

"At least not to your face." Harry looked sideways to see Ron dropping his Quidditch things next to him and flopping down.

"Why do you have all your equipment with you?" Harry asked, taking inventory of the load Ron had brought with him.

"We're suppose to be practicing after breakfast." Ron wasn't making eye contact, simply sucking his food down, talking between bites.

Right, it was Saturday, Harry had promised to go with Ron and practice for an upcoming match.

"I just have to get my stuff, do you want to come with me or meet me at the pitch?"

"I think I better just meet you at the pitch, mate." Ron said, looking over at Harry. "It would be safer."

"That's what you get for being a git." Ginny stated, staring madly at Pansy.

"What the bloody hell would you know? You weren't there!"

"But Neville was. And so was the rest of the seventh years. Are you that daft?"

Ron looked down at his food refusing to comment.

"You and Hermione are being real bloody difficult in my opinion. It was a mutual break-up. It's not like she dumped you and went skipping along her merry little way. You both agreed you were better as friends, this whole fighting business is just plain-- OY!" Harry and Ron jumped as Ginny climbed over the bench and stalked over to the Slytherin table.

"Mental that one, isn't she?" Ron stated, cereal falling from his lips as Harry and he watched Ginny push Pansy away from Draco.

"She was never _really_ the jealous type." Harry stated, watching as Pansy fell backwards. "What's gotten into her?"

"I don't want to know." Ron turned back to his cereal and pushed it away, pulling a plate of eggs closer to him.

Harry slowly turned back to the table and grabbed another biscuit. "I'll meet you at the pitch then?"

"Yeah." Ron said, eggs falling from his mouth.

Harry shook his head but climbed over the bench. He looked back over to Ginny and Draco, but noticed that Ginny was no longer there. Shrugging, he continued his walk to the tower.

"Cabbage Fudge." He saluted back at the knight and walked through the entrance.

He was slightly disappointed to see that Hermione wasn't in the common room.

"Hey 'Mione!" He called up towards her room. "I am going to the Quidditch Pitch with Ron!"

There was no answer. He shrugged, obviously she was still sleeping, or she had gone to the library. Hermione did strange things on her days off. He walked down to his room, grabbed his equipment and threw on an old T-shirt. He hurried up the stairs and gave the room a quick look over.

"See you later 'Mione!" He called. With no answer he walked out the door and began rushing towards the pitch.

-----------------

"_I was not flirting with her_!" Harry rolled his eyes as he listened to Draco and Ginny fight. Ron had invited Dean, Seamus, Ernie, and Terry to practice with them (which slightly confused Harry seeing as none of them were on a Quidditch team).

Ginny had shown up and had been watching them when Draco appeared, starting a rather loud argument. Harry, who had been knocked off his broom (thanks to Terry and his _lovely_ flying skills), was sitting a few seats below the couple, trying to catch his breath.

"There's a reason you two broke up." Ginny stated, her voice very calm for an angry woman. "You shouldn't sit with her."

"She's my _friend_. I have almost all my classes with her, I share a common room with her, and I share my table with her, how do you want me to just avoid her?"

"She's a _tramp_." Harry rolled his eyes, letting his chin drop to his chest.

"She is very well _not_ a tramp."

"Of course you would say that!" Harry heard a smacking noise and felt a ping of pity for Malfoy.

"So, the fact that I am dating you, snogging you, and hanging out with you, not to mention searching the _entire_ school grounds for you, means absolutely nothing."

"It means you have a guilty conscious!" Ginny stood up and marched down the bleachers, leaving a dumbfounded Malfoy in her tracks.

"What the _bloody_ hell is she _on_?" Draco asked. Harry turned around.

"I don't know, but she's really acting out of character."

"So it's _not_ just me?"

"Well, she's acting the same towards me and Ron, but we are noticing she's a little mental when it comes to you."

"A little?" Draco shook his head and stood up. "I don't even know why I bother."

"I'd think about that."

"Shut up Potter."

"I think you need to go and have a chat with cupid." Malfoy glared at a now smirking Harry and began to descend the bleachers.

"I think you should go have a talk with cupid." Harry looked over to see Seamus holding his stomach and walking up the stairs.

"How did you--?"

"Malfoy, the git that he is, was mumbling about Potter and how _you_ need to have a conversation with cupid." Seamus sat down, letting out a grunt. "That boy needs to never get on another broom."

"I don't know what the hell you and Malfoy think I have to talk about with Cupid but--"

"_Mione_, o'course." Seamus rolled his eyes as if Harry was being purposely oblivious. "You two spend practically every waking moment with each other, other then the occasional Ron time you put in. You patrol together, go to meals together, and Dean saw you holding her hand."

"We're head boy and girl!" Harry glared at the Irish boy. "Of course we're going to spend so much time together, and Hermione had slipped, I was holding her hand so if she slipped again I could--"

"Catch her? Typical." Harry rolled his eyes. "You know mate, if it's because of Ron, I think he'd understand." Seamus nodded, looking towards the red haired boy on the field. "He'd be a little upset 'course, you being his best friend and she being his ex-girlfriend, but he'd be ok with it after a little while."

Harry stared at Seamus as if the boy had grew another head.

"Me and Hermione are just friends."

"Sure, sure." Seamus winked at him. "Whatever you say."

"TERRY! Just go sit, OK! GO SIT!" The two looked at Ron who was pointing towards them and looking at the scrawny boy on one of the school's brooms.

"Never get on another broom, again."

------------------

Harry laid on the couch in the common room. He had spent all morning with the guys, and almost the entire afternoon with Ron and Parvati who were partners in Herbology. He had tired to talk about the Hermione fight with Ron, but he didn't get much further then a shrug and a 'barking mad'.

He heard the door slide open and watched as Hermione emerged, face red and hair blown about.

"Hi." He stated, giving her a wide smile. "How was your day?"

"Exhausting!" Hermione flopped down on the opposite end of the couch, laying down so she could look at Harry. "I spent the afternoon at Hagrid's with Ginny. She's awfully upset about Draco."

"Why did you two go to Hagrid's?" Harry was a little disappointed, he had seen Hagrid around the school and had lunch with him last weekend, but he wouldn't have minded going with Hermione. And Ginny, Hermione and Ginny.

"He found two Unicorn follies. A third year told Ginny about it and we thought we go and see them. They were so wonderful and very playful." Harry smiled as Hermione filled him in on how they ate sugar cubes from Ginny and her hands and then nuzzled the two.

"As long as you had fun."

"What were you up to?" Hermione took off her sweater and pulled back her hair.

"Quidditch practice with the guys and then I helped Parvati and Ron with their Herbology project." He watched as Hermione's eyes narrowed slightly but leaned back and moved her head to look at the fire. "He's sorry, you know."

"It doesn't matter anymore Harry."

"Mione, come off it, it's me."

"I know it's you." She sighed. She got up and moved so she was now laying next to him instead of opposite of him. "I don't want to talk to him."

Harry nodded, taking off his glasses. He wrapped his arm around her. "Did you and Ginny name the unicorns?"

"Why would me and Ginny do something silly like that?"

"What did you name the unicorns?"

"Beethoven and Diamond."

---------------------

Harry was sitting in between Draco and Ginny, his eyes were glazed over and he was staring at the wall opposite of them. Ginny, who still hadn't forgiven the Slytherin was talking to another girl Harry didn't remember the name of. Draco had his face in his hand and was staring off into space much like Harry.

"DRACO!" Both Harry and Draco snapped out of their trance and looked over to see Goyle looking at his leader with a confused look. Draco merely waved him off and went back to staring at the wall.

"Well, we finally finished it." Ron cheerfully sat down and began grabbing food from various bowls. "I know we're going to get a good grade. Even Neville was impressed." Neville, being the best at Herbology, was one of the few people that the other students would look towards in the class. Something that had made Neville very happy.

"'Ello Mates. Malfoy." Seamus stated, sitting in between Ginny and Harry. Harry looked to see that Ginny had moved down and was now comparing notes with the nameless girl and a new nameless girl.

"How's the pot of gold, leprechaun?" Malfoy stated, his eyes focusing on the wall. Seamus ignored him and, much like Ron, began piling food on his plate.

"Harry!" The four boys looked up and stared as Hermione rushed over to them. "Guess what!" She shook her head before Harry could even respond. "I found the book I was looking for! The one for the project! I need you to help me with the notes so I can get together with Ernie after class tomorrow."

Harry nodded slowly, confused on what exactly was going on. He remembered that Hermione and Ernie had been paired up and decided to split the work and then combine it, but he thought she had finished the assignment ages ago.

"Sure, Mione. I'll help you tonight." Harry smiled up to her.

"Wonderful!" She smiled and then looked around, noting the other people sitting with Harry. "What are you doing at the Gryffindor table?" Hermione asked Malfoy innocently.

"Passing the time till I die and go to hell for the unholy courtship of _that_ one." Hermione looked over to Ginny and back at Malfoy who was still unwaveringly looking at the wall.

"As long as you're occupied."

"So, _Mione_, how's life?" Seamus had a smug smile plastered on his face. Hermione looked at him.

"I'm good Seamus."

"Any new shots from cupid?" This seemed to raise the attention of Ginny, Ron, and Draco, who seemed to perk up, while staring at the wall.

"Shots from cupid?" Hermione was sitting on the same side with Ron, but there was a large amount of space between them. "I don't know what you mean."

"How's your love life going Granger? And you're the smartest witch, please." Malfoy stated, now looking towards her.

"It's at a stand still, if you must know." Hermione pointedly looked at her food, moving it around with her fork.

"Really? No new men? No new boy toys?" Harry noted that Ron, rather then looking angry, was watching the brown haired girl with curiosity.

"No, nothing." Harry was taken aback as Hermione's eyes crashed with his for a brief second. He heard a snigger from Seamus, indicating the brief look had been noticed by someone else.

"So, you and Harry huh?" For the fourth time in a week Seamus' hand found the back of his head.

"Give it a _rest_ you git." Parvati was glaring down at the boy as she stood behind him. "Here Ron, thanks for lending me your book." She handed the heavy Herbology book back to Ron and walked out of the Great Hall, throwing dirty looks at Seamus over her shoulder.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked.

"I'll explain it later." Harry stated, looking down at his plate.

"But--"

"You might want to hear about it in _private_." Seamus smiled smugly, the hit to his head forgotten. Harry looked up and smacked the hard headed Irish boy.

"Mate, _shut up_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** No song, no characters, natta, nothing! Maybe the plot. I guess the plot.

* * *

Constantly amazed by the blades of the fan on the ceiling  
The clever little glances she gives me can't help but be appealing  
She loves to ride into town with the top down, feel that warm breeze on her gentle skin  
I see a little more of me everyday, I catch a little more moustache turning gray  
Little miss magic, what you gonna be 

Sometimes I catch her dreaming and wonder where that little mind meanders  
Is she strolling along the shore or cruising the broad savanna?  
I know someday she learn to make up her own runs

I know someday she's gonna learn how to fly, oh that I won't deny  
I catch a little more dialog coming my way

I see those big brown eyes just start to looking astray  
Constantly amazed by the blades of the fan on the ceiling  
Those clever little looks she gives just can't help but be appealing

**-Little Miss Magic (Jimmy Buffet)-**

* * *

Harry and Hermione laid on the floor of their common room. Harry was slowly reading over one of the plant encyclopedias Hermione had given him. They had been working for almost three hours, taking a break for dinner and to watch the sun go down.

"This is so boring." Harry mumbled, turning the page.

"We all couldn't be paired up with Neville." Hermione said, glancing at Harry.

"You're just mad we finished ages ago." Harry stuck out his tongue and went back to looking at the book.

"He did all the work."

"I helped. I got the books and put them back for him." Harry smiled, not making eye contact. Hermione huffed and turned back to the book she had been looking for and had found.

They retreated back into silence, both scribbling notes on the pads next to them. Harry looked over to see Hermione's tongue sticking out from the side of her mouth, she obviously had found something of interest. He turned back to his book and gently nudged Hermione's side with his elbow.

He laughed to himself as he felt Hermione move to look at him. A few seconds later, he found his own side nudged by a slightly smaller elbow.

He nudged her back, she followed him, and this went on for several minutes. At least until Harry pushed her so she laid on her back and he was over her, tickling her sides.

"Harry!" Hermione laughed as she twisted to get away from his moving fingers. "Stop! HARRY!"

"Sorry Mione, after three hours I have to get you back some how!" Harry laughed as his fingers moved up and down her sides.

They stopped as a sharp clearing of the throat broke through their laughter. Harry looked up as Hermione shifted her head so she could see what was in front of them.

Standing, arms folded, eyes wide and empty, and the sound of her foot tapping was Minerva McGonagall.

"Well, I see that the Head Boy and Girl know when to have fun." Harry jumped up and distanced himself from Hermione; who was gingerly lifting herself up.

"Good Evening Professor." Hermione said, her smile as bright as the sun. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Obviously not having the same amount of fun as you and Mr. Potter." She cleared her throat and looked around. "I wanted to see when you were performing your patrol."

"Not until ten." Harry stated, scratching the back of his head. "That's when we usually walk around."

"Very well, the Professors are having a staff meeting and I wanted to make sure _all_ students would be back in their dorm. I ask that you both return by eleven."

"Of course." Hermione nodded.

"Thank you, you may get back to," McGonagall looked at the books on the floor and then to her prized students. "Studying." She turned and left the common room.

"I wonder what that was all about." Harry said, taking another step away from a blushing Hermione.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione's eyes were looking away from the Boy-Who-Lived.

"No."

"They are obviously doing some things with N.E.W.T.S. Why else would they want all the students to be sleeping?"

"I… don't know." Harry was now staring at the ground, his hand still scratching the back of his head.

"You never told me what Seamus was talking about at lunch." If it had been any other person, they might not have heard her, but Harry looked up, a deep blush on his face.

"Oh, that, well, he's been teasing me about our relationship for the last few days and I guess he was just getting on your nerves." Harry shrugged, dropping his arms to his side. "I am going to see what Ron is up too. Do you need anything else?"

"What?" Hermione's face was the color of a tomato and she was doing everything in her power to avoid eye contact with her best friend. "No, I should be ok."

"I'll be back to patrol."

"Yes, patrol." Harry took this as his cue and quickly moved towards the door.

------------------------

"She found you, on top of Hermione, tickling her?" Ginny was very close to bursting into laughter

Ron on the other hand had fallen out of his chair and was having a fit on the floor.

"The look on McGonagall's face had to have been _priceless_."

"Shut up." Harry stated, leaning further into the arm chair he was in.

"It's ok Harry." Ginny patted his arm, her eyes burning with tears as she held the laughter in her throat. "McGonagall has caught me and Draco hundreds of times."

"Who hasn't caught you?" Ron rolled over as he continued to laugh. Ginny looked down, glaring at her brother.

"I wish someone would catch you."

Ron either hadn't heard her or was too involved with laughing to care about what she had said. Harry on the other hand was ignoring the two of them. He wasn't even sure what possessed him to tickle Hermione, let alone get on top of her. Was he mad? She was a respectable girl. He had never been in such a position as he was with Hermione. Sure he had snogged girls, and that led to cuddling and more snogging, but he had never straddled any of them. Grant you, none of them ever had a laugh like Hermione's. Cho and Ginny, the two girls he had snogged and dated, had more haughty laughs. Where as Hermione's laugh was sweet and delicate. The way her lips parted and turned a pale pink as the laughter poured from her mouth into his ears… Wait, no. It was Hermione, his best friend. His best friend's _ex_. He was simply attached. That's it, they were like siblings.

He focused on Ginny and Ron who were on the ground. Ginny was kicking Ron as he tried to sit up. He looked up and noticed Seamus in the corner of the room talking with Dean and Neville. He heard Ron cough and then swear. He looked down to find Ron on top of Ginny trying to strangle her as she continued to kick and hit him.

**Siblings**, he mused, **do not straddle and tickle each other**. 

So, what the hell was going on?

"Oy! How's the wife?" Harry looked up and saw Seamus waving innocently over to him.

"Oh man! Wait till you here what happened to them!" Ron said, forgetting his sister and getting up to go towards Seamus.

Harry didn't even feel himself jump out of the chair to tackle Ron.

"_Don't_ you _dare_ tell him." He whispered hotly into the red-head boy's ear.

"Why not?" Ron asked to the floor, he didn't seem angry, merely confused.

"Because it's _embarrassing_." Harry whispered, getting off the boy. He looked up to see Ginny laughing as she mimicked what Harry had told her and Ron. He slammed his hand to his forehead. Why did he always forget the Ginny principle?

"This PROVES it!" Seamus jumped up and gave a hard clap on the back to Harry. "Congratulations mate!"

"We were joking around." Harry shrugged it off, sticking his hands in his pocket.

"Of course, of course." Seamus shook his head. "Come on mate. You have to get over this. Hermione and you, meant to be."

Harry extracted himself away from Seamus and started heading towards the door.

"I have to go, I'll see you all tomorrow." He spun around and looked at them. "McGonagall is going to be patrolling the halls, so I expect no one to be out of the dorms past eleven."

And with that he disappeared through The Fat Lady.

------------------------

Harry checked his watch and noted he had five minutes to get back to the tower before McGonagall began her own patrol.

"Cabbage Fudge." The knight saluted him, but before getting in he looked around the corridor. "Did Hermione get back?"

The knight nodded and saluted him once more. Harry climbed through the entrance and noted the quiet common room.

After returning from Gryffindor tower he found a note from Hermione stating that he should take the west side of the school and she would take the east. It would make it faster and easier for them to get back to the tower. Harry figured she had already started and began his patrol of the west part of the school.

He walked down to his room and grabbed all his bathroom necessities. He hurried back up looking once more for the brunette girl. Sighing, he proceeded to the bathroom, locking the door.

What was the big deal? He had known Hermione for seven years, _seven_ bloody years. Of course he had always thought her to be smart, bold, and pretty. Well, maybe not pretty. He thought she was cute, obviously. Pretty came after fifth year, after lives were placed into jeopardy, and he had stood back and watch her go from this meek little book worm, to second in command.

The hot water burned his skin as he washed the day from his body. Hermione was always there for him. When he and Cho broke up because she thought he like Hermione better. When he and Ginny broke up at the end of fifth year because he realized he really didn't like her in that butterfly way, and Ginny realized she only like him because of legend. Hermione was there through all of it.

Ron. Ron was going to be an obstacle. Then again he was handling Seamus' teasing better then either Harry or Hermione. Maybe he just didn't take Seamus seriously.

Why was this, now, such a big deal? This was Seamus' fault. It was his teasing, pounded into Harry's head, forcing Harry to think into everything. It was Hermione for bloody sakes. His _best_ friend.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped his robe around him. He decided to leave his toiletries, he'd get them in the morning. Hermione never minded.

Hermione. That was the only thing pulsing through his brain.

He walked down to his room and sat on his bed, laying to stare at the ceiling. With a rush, thoughts of her under him, his fingers moving up and down her sides, her chest rising to breathe as laughter escaped her lips, took over his brain. How he could still smell her hair, a mix of jasmine and vanilla intoxicating his nose. Her shirt revealing an inch of her stomach. Her hands running over his arms and chest, trying to save herself from laughter. Her eyes, gorgeous brown, sparkled with the light of the fire place spilling over them.

What would have happened if McGonagall hadn't shown up? Would them have come to their senses? Backed away and continued to work on her project silently? Or would they be wrapped in each other's arms, her lips against his, her breath hot in his mouth?

He shut his eyes tightly and began rubbing his temples. What the _bloody_ hell was up with him? It was _Hermione_. Sweet, innocent, _Mione_.

He rolled over, still in his robes. What he need was sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.

------------------------

Harry woke up, unable to move. He was tangled up with his robe and his blankets. Rolling his eyes he carefully tried to unweave himself, finally sitting on up, his robe hanging dangerously open. He grabbed his glasses and tightened his robe as he stood up. The clock next to his bed read eight fifteen.

"Jeez." He mumbled, looking for his school clothes.

It took his less then five minutes to get dressed and another five minutes to try and tame his hair. After several attempts he dropped his hands, rolled his eyes, and turned to go up to the common room.

"Hey, Mione I just," He stopped, noticing that there was no one in the common room. Hermione always sat in the common room and waited for him. Always.

Walking towards the staircase leading to her dorm, he cleared his throat. "Mione! You up?"

There was no answer. Sighing, he looked around one last time, and grabbed his bag.

The Great Hall was noisy and full for a Monday morning. He looked around and spotted Ron sitting at the Gryffindor table.

"Where's Malfoy?" Ron looked up and then towards the Slytherin table.

"He's been with them since I got here. Ginny grabbed something and then rushed out, apparently she forgot to do something and needed to run to the library."

"At least he's at his own table." Harry mumbled, sitting next to Ron, making a plate for breakfast. "Did you see Hermione at all?"

"Yeah." Ron swallowed his food. "She was down here when I get here, she went with Ginny to the library. You two have a fight?"

"No." Harry started eating his food. "I think she's embarrassed about last night."

"Girls."

"It was rather awkward Ron." Harry stated, refusing to make eye contact. "I was straddling her."

"Yeah, I guess that is a little awkward." Ron shrugged, his eggs disappearing quickly from his plate.

"You know, you're handling Seamus' teasing about Hermione and mine relationship pretty well."

"Well," Ron looked up. "To tell you the truth mate, I figured it was bound to happen."

"_WHAT_?"

"Come on Harry. You and Hermione spend _every_ waking moment together. Even as Head boy and girl, that's still a lot. You two are always talking about one another, or looking for one another. A few weeks ago Hermione came to the table in hysterics because you weren't anywhere in the tower. Even when we were younger it was Hermione and Harry this, Hermione and Harry that. The two of you always had so much in common and always seemed to be on the same brain wave." Ron's expression turned to that of a guilty man. "I was really happy when me and Hermione started going out. You hadn't made a move, and my crush was more open then yours. I thought I had beaten you. Ron Weasley defeats the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter."

"You went out with Hermione to _beat_ me?"

"No. I went out with Hermione because I liked her. By going out with her, though, I had, in a way, won. Only, she would always talk about you. She would be worried or she would be missing you. Trust me, there were only a handful of times where it was just me and her. Even when you weren't around, you were."

Harry stared at his best friend with a confused expression.

"So, when she said that she wanted to break up, I thought it would be best. I figured that it would give you two another chance."

"So, you assume that Hermione and me like each other?"

"Mate, I don't assume." Ron turned back to his food. "I know. Everyone knows. Seamus has a bet going with Dean and Malfoy about how long it's going to take the two of you to realize what everyone else sees."

"We're just friends!" Harry slammed his fork down. "That's it! She's my best friend and that's all we'll ever be." He stood up and marched out of the Great Hall.

Ron shook his head and continued to shovel food into his mouth.

"Keep telling yourself that mate."

------------------------

Hermione walked into the Great Hall for dinner. She and Harry had been avoiding each other all day. Maybe she was avoiding him, she couldn't even tell at this point. Her eyes search the Gryffindor table, looking for her black haired best friend, but was disappointed when she only saw her other classmates.

"Hey Hermione." Ginny was looking over some notes as Hermione sat down next to her.

"Hey." She looked at the plate in front of her and then down the table. Seamus, Dean, Ron, and Neville were a little ways down laughing. She turned her head to see Parvati and Lavender on the other side of Ginny, reading a magazine together. "Have you seen Harry?"

Ginny looked up at her and then the ceiling, her mind moving over the past few hours. "I saw him with Ron and Terry at the Quidditch Pitch after your Herbology class, but that was it."

"Oh." She started to place food on her plate, noting she wasn't hungry. The events from the night before had played over and over in her brain. She couldn't even concentrate to take notes. And that simply wouldn't do.

She looked over to Seamus and then at Ron. This was their fault. If they hadn't said anything about her and Harry and cupid, she wouldn't be reading into everything. Taking a bite of a roll she thought about his hands. How they glided over her sides smoothly. His lips, swollen from laughing with her. She sighed. It all had felt very good. Very good in deed.

"What's up with you?" Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and looked to see Ginny staring at her with concern.

"Nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come off it." Hermione sighed as she looked at Ginny.

"I was thinking about Harry, ok?" She turned to her plate and stared down at the food she had barely touched.

Ginny watched her friend, interest and mischief swimming in her eyes. **It was bound to happen**, Ginny thought. Her eyes lingered over Hermione, before looking at her own plates and the notes that laid next to it.

"So, how long have you like him?"

Hermione snapped her head up and gave an outrageous look to Ginny. "I do not like him. I haven't talked to him all day, and I was just thinking about some homework I had to help him with."

"Sure, sure. Seriously? Was it before fourth year? I was betting second year, after that whole Chamber of Secret thing. He did save your life. Ron was betting more towards the Tri-Wizard competition, you guys spending so much extra time together. Seamus still deems it was when you first laid eyes on each other. Never took him as a romantic soul, considering he is rather a git."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, what the hell are you talking about?"

"You and Harry, when did you realize he was the one?" Ginny calmly took a bite of the chicken in front of her.

"Ginny, you are _completely_ mental. Harry and I are _best friends_, that's all."

"Yeah, ok." Ginny rolled her eyes. "You two are ever bit difficult as you and Ron. Which does not make a good case for _you_. I have never met two people who were in such denial that they be this stupid."

"I think you have it all wrong." Hermione stated, taking another bite of her roll.

"I think you and Harry need to reevaluate yourselves. Just friends, _pssh_."

"Have you seen Harry?" The two girls looked up to see Luna Lovegood standing behind them. Her dirty blonde hair was braided down her back, her robes open, exposing a sloppy uniform. Her voice was ever so dreamy, and her eyes were fluttering about the hall.

"No." Hermione stated, looking down at her plate once more.

"Why are you looking for Harry?" Ginny asked, turning back to her dinner.

"He promised to help me with my flying. My father and I are going to look for Heliopaths, and it's best if we fly over them, considering they're made of fire."

Hermione let out a snort as Ginny choked trying not to giggle. Luna, still absorbed with the hall, didn't seem to notice them.

"I was telling Harry about it while he was on the pitch with Ronald and Terry and he said that he would help me. He is one of the best flyers." She looked towards the doors, expecting Harry to walk through. "Terry _was_ suppose to help me, but he is not very balanced on a broom. Oh, Ronald." Ron looked towards the girls and gave a bewildered look towards Luna.

"What?"

"Have you seen Harry?"

"I think he's in the Head's Tower." Ron shrugged.

"Oh." Luna shrugged, looking as dreamy and unfazed as before. "He's suppose to give me flying lessons."

Ron looked at her, still confused on the interaction that was happening between them. "Yeah, I was there when he said it."

"You can fly." It was blunt and almost awkward. Hermione looked over to see Ron's eyebrows coming together.

"So?"

Luna walked over and grabbed his arm. "You'll do." She pulled him up, with strength that surprised Hermione, and began dragging him out of the Great Hall. "Tell Harry we're at the pitch if he wants to join us. I hope the wrackspurts haven't gotten him."

Hermione watched as Luna practically floated away, Ron being dragged behind her, pleading looks towards Seamus, Dean, and Neville.

"Maybe we should go help him." Dean stated, still staring at the entrance.

"He'll be ok." Seamus waved it off and continued to eat.

Hermione shook her head. She had just been at the tower, Harry wasn't there. Where was that boy?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** This is getting a little old, come on now. Not mine, blah, blah, blah.

**Notes:** Thank you for all the reviews! So, this chapter is... I don't know interesting. The ending is gonna be a little hard to swallow, but have faith! I'm a happy ending type of girl. This might be a little mushy, I don't know. It's my favorite chapter so far. About updates, I've been sick so I didn't have to work for two days, yay me, yay you I've been shoveling out chapters. Now that I have to go back to work and such, the fifth chapter might not be up for a couple of days. I want to have this story finished by the end of this weekend (because I highly doubt they'll be more then 3 or 4 chapters left to write) However, this is probably not going to happen. Realistically, I want the story to be done by next weekend. So, this is the goal we're working towards. Ok, well as fair warning it might be a little mushy and even slightly OOC. My friend pointed out that people are dumb when they're trying to cover up feelings so, we're just going to keep that in mind. Happy Readings!

* * *

**We don't have time left to regret, it will take more than common sense  
So stop your wondering take a stand, there's more to life than just to live  
Cause an empty room can be so loud, its too many tears to drown them out  
So hold on. One single smile a helping hand, its not that hard to be a friend  
So don't give up stand 'til the end, there's more to life than just to live  
When you love someone and they break your heart. Don't give up on love  
Have faith, restart, just hold on.  
When it falls apart and your feeling lost, all your hope is gone. Don't forget to hold on. **

**-Hold on (Jonas Brothers)-**

* * *

Harry watched as Luna fell from the broom once, twice, three times. She was on her fourth try, and hadn't even gotten further then a foot off the ground.

"LUNA! COME ON!" Ron was at his last wit's end. Harry, who had been the coach the first two times, was watching as Luna sat on the broom, lifted up, twirled in a circle, and then fell to the ground. "FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN!" Ron's face was as red as his hair. He turned around and stalked off towards the bleachers.

"Luna, I don't understand why you're having difficulties."

"Oh, I'm not." Luna hopped on the broom and shot up into the air. She went straight up and did a nose dive and then a slanted landing, so that her feet were perfectly flat with the ground.

Harry's mouth hung open.

"It's very funny when he gets all flustered like that." Harry looked towards the bleachers to see Ron still climbing, unaware of the dive Luna had just preformed.

"Luna, we've been out here for forty minutes." Harry stated.

"I know. I enjoy your company." She gave him a dreamy smile.

"Luna, that's not the point." Harry closed his eyes, he could feel the headache about to burst through his brain.

"Thank you for the lessons." Luna smiled and began to skip towards the bleachers.

Harry watched her, mouth hung open once again, as she left the pitch, oblivious to everything going around.

"OY! Is she done?" Harry looked towards Ron who was pulling bristles from one of the school brooms.

"Yeah. She's done!" Harry called. He began walking towards the bleachers as Ron briskly walked down the stairs.

"Absolutely mental that one." Ron rolled his eyes. "Completely barking."

"I think she likes you." Harry stated, his headache starting to pound against his skull.

"Ginny thinks so too." Ron shrugged. "Too bad she's such a daft."

"She's not _that_ bad." Harry stated.

Ron shrugged again. "Where were you all afternoon?"

"Here."

"You didn't leave after me and Terry had gone?" Ron looked at his friend. "Mate, I'm starting to worry."

"I just wanted some time to myself." Harry kicked a rock as they ascended the school stairs. "It's not a crime."

"Whatever." Ron shook his head. "Hermione was looking for you at dinner."

"Why?" Harry looked at Ron, perking up.

"I don't know. I heard her ask Ginny. Did you guys have a fight? You can tell me."

"We didn't have a fight, she's been avoiding me all day. I figured I get away from everything for a couple of hours." Harry shrugged.

"You two need some real hard knocks to the head, you know that right?" Ron shook his head. "I think straddling her and tickling her was your clearly written sign."

"I have no idea what possessed me to do it. One minute we were studying, the next we were fooling around, and then, I'm on top of her."

"Maybe you wanted to be intimate with her." Harry stopped and turned to stare at Ron. "Don't look at me like that! After you left, Dean said that you and Hermione needed to be tied up and forced to admit your feelings to each other. Seamus was laughing about the whole incident, so we ignored him. And Ginny figures that your body decided it was ready for the next level with Hermione. She thinks if you don't do what you're suppose to do on your own, nature begins to take it's course."

"That, is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

"That's fine." Ron shrugged. "Look Harry, I have known you for seven years, mate. You never looked at Cho or Ginny the way you look at Hermione. You don't talk about anyone else the way you talk about Hermione. Dude, the two of you get into fits when the other one is missing. It's fine if you want to pretend that there's nothing going on with you two, but eventually the truth is going to bite you in arse. And then, it might be too late." Ron turned and walked into the school.

Harry stood, dumbfounded, staring after his best friend and closest confidant.

He closed his eyes and pulled himself together. When had Ron gotten to be so, mature?

And when did Harry become so out of touch?

------------------------

It was half past nine, and with a large yawn Harry walked through the entrance of the tower. He had ran into Dean and Ernie after Ron left and had followed them to the library. Dean had agreed with everything Ron had said to Harry. While Ernie looked confused and admitted that he was under the impression Harry and Hermione were already dating. Which didn't actually help Harry in the slightest.

He looked around, the common room was quiet and intimidating. There was no warmth from the fireplace or noise from the radio. It was dark, silent, and cold.

Harry walked further in, pointing his wand at the fire place. An orange glow splashed over the common room. He ran his hand over his face, feeling the rough skin of his scar. Life was not suppose to be this _difficult_.

Hermione's face flashed across his mind. Her sweet lips moving as she talked to him. Her hand brushing her hair from her face, a laugh slipping from her throat.

"Harry?" He jumped, turning around to stare at Hermione from the bottom of her staircase. "Where were you?"

"I was with Ron at the Quidditch pitch, and then I hung out with Dean and Ernie." Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Ron said you were looking for me."

"I didn't know where you were. I was worried."

"Why would you be worried?" Harry smiled. "You know I'd be somewhere in the castle."

"I know, it's just, well I _always_ know where you are."

Harry laughed. "Well, I'm sorry."

"I am sorry I was avoiding you earlier. I was just, with everything, and you know," Harry smiled, it was the first time Hermione was speechless.

"Don't worry about it." He was once again startled when Hermione threw herself in his arms. He hugged her back, her shampoo intoxicating his senses.

It's fine if you want to pretend that there's nothing going on with you two, but eventually the truth is going to bite you in arse.

Harry let go of Hermione and took a step back. She stood there staring at him, those big brown eyes dancing as she looked at him. Her hands at her sides, he could see them twitch towards him.

"We have to patrol." Harry coughed, looking towards the fireplace.

"Do you think that you could do it yourself tonight?" Harry turned sharply to stare at her. "I, didn't quite finish an assignment and if I don't finish it I'll simply fall behind, and then my grades will start to drop and--" Harry raised his hand, cutting her off.

"It's fine, I'll get Ron to come with me."

"Don't go sneaking down to the kitchens." Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Us? Sneak down to the kitchens? Never."

----------------------

Ron walked besides Harry munching on a cupcake the house elves had given him. There was a large bag in his hand, filled with sweets.

"Don't you dare tell Hermione. She'll kill both of us."

"Are you daft? Like I would tell Hermione about this. I'd never see those beautiful elves and their even more beautiful desserts again."

Harry shook his head as they walked to Gryffindor tower.

"The guys are up waiting for this, aren't they?"

"Yep, as are Parvati and Ginny. Lavender feels it will spoil her figure." Ron rolled his eyes. "Come on and join us."

"Nah, I want to get to bed." Harry yawned, emphasizing how tired he was.

"You just want to see _Mione_." Ron shook his head. "When you fall, you fall _hard_."

"Shut up."

"Whatever, have fun _sleeping_." Ron laughed and climbed through The Fat Lady.

"How was patrol?" She asked, her voice groggy.

"Very good, thank you." Harry smiled and walked off to his tower.

With a salute, Harry climbed through and stretched noticing a certain brunette fast asleep on the couch. He shook his head, walking over to her. A book was laying on her chest, there were some papers pushed between her side and the couch, and her hair was spread over the sofa's arm.

Gently, he bent down and pushed some hair from the side of her face. The book rose up and down with each breath she took. She had never looked so peaceful. Sure, when she took her random naps, she was like an angel, but this was innocent sleep. Harry was sure Ms. Know-it-all would _never_ force herself to sleep while trying to get an assignment done.

There were nights where he'd cover her up and let her sleep through the night on the couch, and there were nights where he'd wake her up so she could go to her bed. However, tonight he couldn't bring himself to do either. Leaving her or even waking her up, as she slept so serenely, might just break his heart.

Without thinking about it, without even deciding if it was a good idea, Harry gently moved the book and the papers, placing them on the floor next to the couch. He reached under her, lifting her into his arms, against his chest.

Harry noted how light she was. Her arms laid over her chest as her head rested against his pulsing heart. He walked towards the stairs and began to climb them. Hot breaths penetrated his thin shirt with each exhale she took.

He thanked some higher power that her door was left open. Carefully, he lowered her on the bed, covering her body with the blanket that had been pulled back. Brushing the hair from her face he bent down and left a kiss on her cheek.

"Night Mione." He whispered, turning and quietly walking down the stairs.

The only response was Hermione's blanket rising and falling.

--------------------

She didn't remember falling asleep on her bed. The last thing she remember was reading in the common room and then waking up in her bedroom.

She sat in front of the mirror in her room, brushing the bushy, curly hair she had been born with. She growled slightly as the brush caught itself in mess of curls. Yanking the brush out she grabbed her hair and pulled it back into a messy bun. Something was different. Something, today, felt very different. She just hadn't realized what it was yet.

Smoothing out her blouse and putting her robes on she quickly hurried out of her dorm, running down the stairs, colliding with a certain male room mate.

Her face was pressed into his chest as he held her from falling. She could hear his heart beating and feel the warmth of his body running over her.

"Are you ok?" She pulled her face from his chest and nodded looking into those bright green eyes of his.

"I guess I was in a rush." She stated, moving out of his hold, smoothing over her robes.

"It's ok." Harry shrugged, walking away from her to the table. She looked at the ceiling, throwing a dirty look towards it. "Did you finish the assignment?"

What assignment? Oh, the Defense Against the Dark Arts report. Right, she was suppose to be working on that last night.

"I got most of it done, it's a good thing we have until Thursday." She blushed as she thought about her falling asleep on the couch. "Did you wake me up last night? I remember falling asleep on the couch, but I can't remember getting up to my room."

His back was to her, she had no idea of the blush that erupted across his cheeks.

"I, um, you… you see, I… you looked so peaceful and… it seemed like a good idea." Hermione raised her eyebrows. Nothing he said had made any sense to her.

"What?"

"You looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you up so I sort of, carried you to bed."

Hermione froze, staring at his back. A mixture of feelings spread over her body. Her eyes moved to the floor, the fireplace, and then continued to stare at his back. He stood ridged, one would assume, waiting to see what she had to say.

"Why?" It took her a few seconds to realize it was her voice talking.

"I don't know." If anything, his body became even stiffer, as he began to push books and papers into his backpack.

"You don't know?" It was as if she hadn't heard him. Maybe she had misinterpreted what he had said.

He lifted his bag, running his fingers through his thick, long hair. He turned around and nodded his head.

"I don't know." And then, he was gone.

Hermione took a step back. He looked hurt, as if she had slapped him across the face. Yet, she hadn't done anything. Closing her eyes, she prayed that when she opened them this would all be a dream.

An empty common room, an unlit fire, and a few papers on the table, made her groan and place her hands over her face.

When would she get a bloody break?

------------------

Ron and Ginny were both watching Harry from the corners of their eyes. He had marched into the Great Hall in a horrible mood. Not that either of them had asked, it was simply the way he had thrown down his backpack, slam himself on the bench, and then proceeded to viciously throw the food on to his plate.

Ginny had nudged Ron, expecting him to try and talk to Harry. Ron, knowing the boy for seven years, and feeling the safety in not saying a word to Harry, turned towards his food.

Draco approached the table, kissing Ginny on the cheek and then looking at Harry.

"What's wrong with you? Had a fight with the old ball and chain?" Ron, Ginny, and Draco were all taken aback as Harry turned and stared at them, fire in his eyes.

Harry had the worst temper out of everyone in the whole school, this was common knowledge to anyone who wished to not die a most painful death. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all had bad tempers themselves, but even they knew to cower when Harry's emerald eyes were glassed over with flames.

"Why don't you sit at your _own_ bloody table, and keep you're _pointy_ nose out of _my_ business. Five points from Slytherin." Harry's voice was ice, stinging anyone's ears who heard him.

Malfoy, almost always ready for a battle, turned swiftly around and walked up the Gryffindor table, towards the staff table, making a sharp left to his table. Ginny and Ron had there eyes still plastered to Harry, and didn't seem to care about Draco's departure.

"What the hell happened to you?" Ron asked, more out of wonderment then anything.

"_Nothing_." Harry turned back to his food and continued to eat. It was as if nothing had happened. As if they had all been having a wonderful breakfast.

"Did you and Hermione get into a fight?" Ginny was up against Ron's back, using him as a shield.

"_No_."

"Mate, you can tell--"

"_Nothing happened_." Harry's head snapped up to look at the two of them. "What do you bloody care, anyway? You have been torturing me about Hermione for the past week as if it's the only thing I have to _deal_ with. I have school work, Quidditch, Head duties, and let's not forget, I'm Harry _bloody _Potter. Merlin forbid _I_ ever get a break."

Ginny looked at Ron, sighed, and then, leaned over, smacking Harry upside the head.

"_GINNY_!"

"Stop being a git! What _happened_?"

"I carried her to bed. Ok? There, another _wonderful_ story you can run and tell Seamus, so he can further confuse me on my own life. She was sleeping on the couch, and I didn't have the heart to wake her up. So, without thinking, I picked her up and carried her to bed." Harry looked down at his food, slamming his fork in the bacon on his plate.

"That's so," Ginny's eyes suddenly got glassy. "_Romantic_."

Ron rolled his eyes and turned to Harry who looked as if he was trying to murder the plate. Rather violently too.

"So, that's not a big deal."

"She woke up, ran into me, asked me if I knew how she got into her bed, I told her, and she asked me _'why?'_. Who bloody asks 'why'? You should say 'Thank you', and go about your life."

Ron opened his mouth and shut it as he felt Ginny moving from behind him. He turned his head to see her getting off the bench and then darting out of the Great Hall. He rolled his eyes. Ginny was never of any _real_ help.

"Look mate, maybe she was just, surprised or something. I mean, it is Hermione."

"She stared at me like I was crazy."

"You are crazy."

"_Ron_!"

"No, listen, calm down. Hermione and you are playing one of the hardest and most confusing games in life. And the worst part is, there are no rules. You're basically screwed until the game ends. You _have_ to be a little crazy to play."

"What are you babbling about?"

"You and Hermione _like_ each other. Get off the high horse and just admit it. Until you two stop deny everything and just get together you're never gonna get out of the game." Harry stared at Ron.

There was a problem when your best friend, a boy who thought steak and kidney pie was more then a good enough reason to die for, was giving you sound advice.

"Just find her and tell her how you feel." Ron smiled and patted his best friend's back.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I'm just going to tell her how I feel."

He stood up and was about to head towards the tower when he felt someone pressing themselves against him, their lips over his. Before he could pull away, the person let go of his neck and lips, and seemed to stand back flatly on their feet.

"There you are Harry!" Parvati had on a bright smile, that seemed to light up her face. Harry stared down at her, cheeks growing hotter as his brain filled with confusion. His eyes flickered behind her to see Hermione standing, mouth agape.

Ron's eyes were the size of a quaffle, he was staring at Parvati. His eyes seemed to grow even wider as he noticed Hermione.

Harry's voice was gone. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing. His eyes were linked with Hermione's. He could only pray that she could read his mind through his eyes.

"I've missed you!" Parvati leaned back up and kissed him again on the cheek. "Walk me to class?"

Harry watched as Hermione's eyes filled with water and then stared after her, as she ran from him.

He looked down at Parvati who was looking over her shoulder. With a scowl she leaned back on her feet and flopped down on the bench.

"Not too bad Harry." She stated, taking a biscuit from his abandoned plate. Harry was frozen to the ground, staring at the space Hermione had just stood.

"What the hell was that?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes at Parvati.

"Ask you're lovely sister and the git."

Looking up Ron saw Ginny and Seamus coming from around the corner.

"What the _bloody_ hell--"

"Don't worry Ron," Ginny smiled, walking past a still frozen Harry, her hand gently patting Ron's shoulder.

"Yeah mate, we've got it all under control." Seamus gave him a bright smile and leaning down to give Parvati a kiss on the cheek. "Wonderful job."

"You're both going to hell." She stated.

"You agreed to this." Ginny stated, munching on the food she had left.

"Because I am tired of all this shite you guys keep going through. It's rather pathetic."

"You guys planned all this?" Ron stared at Seamus and Parvati.

"Yes, we did. If Romeo and Juliet don't want to find themselves in a tragedy, they need a little help from cupid." Seamus' smiled seemed to widen.

Ron looked at Harry who was still frozen to the floor. He turned back to Seamus and Parvati.

"Hermione's going to _kill _you. And Harry, well Harry is going to _murder_ you. And he's good, he knows how to murder you, and make it look like it was _your_ fault."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclamier:** I own nothing, that's how we roll.

**Notes:** This, is an interesting chapter, I like it, because it amuses me, but it's also kinda serious. I don't know. Chapter 4 is still my favorite by far. There might only be one chapter left. It might be a slightly longer chapter, oh, well, we'll see. Happy Readings!!!

* * *

Her face is a map of the world, is a map of the world  
You can see she's a beautiful girl, she's a beautiful girl  
And everything around her is a silver pool of light  
The people who surround her feel the benefit of it  
It makes you calm, she holds you captivated in her palm  
Suddenly I see this is what I wanna be  
Suddenly I see why the hell it means so much to me  
I feel like walking the world, like walking the world  
You can hear she's a beautiful girl, she's a beautiful girl  
She fills up every corner like she's born in black and white  
Makes you feel warmer when you're trying to remember  
What you heard, she likes to leave you hanging on her word  
And she's looking at me, I can see her eyes looking from a page in a magazine  
Oh she makes me feel like I could be a tower, a big strong tower  
She got the power to be, the power to give, the power to see  
Suddenly I see, why the hell it means so much to me 

**-Suddenly I see (KT Tunstall)-**

* * *

Ginny sat on Hermione's bed, looking lazily around the room. She had been up there for the better part of two hours, patting her friend's back as words like 'cow', 'heifer', 'git', and 'bastard' flooded from Hermione's lips.

"I thought you didn't like him." Ginny stated, rolling her eyes.

"I don't!" Hermione shouted from her pillow. Ginny threw her arms in the air. How much more difficult could they make it? Honestly.

"Then why do you care if Parvati kissed him?"

"It's the principle Ginny." She could here Hermione trying to sniffle against the pillow. "He should have told me that he and Parvati had a thing. No wonder she was always hitting Seamus when he teased me and Harry about our relationship!"

"You said there was no relationship."

"Ginny, please!"

Realization began to dawn on Ginny, that all the effort she had put into getting the Head Tower password, sneaking up to Hermione's room, and fake comforting (for the good of the over all picture, of course) one of her dearest friends, was a waste of her precious time.

Not to mention Harry, being smarter then they had given him credit for, realized what they were up to and had been on the verge of killing Seamus right there and then at the breakfast table. She shook her head. He should not have taken fifty points from his own house, that was simply uncalled for.

"Hermione, either you admit you like him and you're jealous. Or get over it."

"What type of girl _are_ you?" Hermione sobbed harder.

"The type that is tired of dancing around the May Pole with you and Harry. You swear up and down that you don't like him, Parvati does, so why shouldn't they be together?"

"They have _nothing_ in common. And they look _horrid_ together."

Ginny placed her hand over her face. This was going to, easily, be the longest day of her life.

---------------

"I'll kill you." Harry was staring at Seamus from the armchair in front of the fire in Gryffindor's common room. Seamus waved him off, his eyes focusing on the ceiling.

"Mate, you're not seeing it from my perspective. You see, right now Ginny is comforting a crestfallen Hermione, getting her to fully realize and accept the feelings she has for you. Either Hermione will confront you and you two can share some beautiful, romantic notion. OR--"

"I break up with you viciously and you run to Hermione, like you always do, and you take comfort in her warm bosom." Parvati, who usually was the most tactful, was being a bit crude.

"That's lovely Parvati, thank you." Ron looked at her and then back to Seamus.

"This is possibly the stupidest thing you have ever thought about."

"No, no, the stupidest thing was when he tried to convince Malfoy that he was related to you so we wouldn't have to hang out with him when Ginny had first start dating him." Dean stated, sitting at the window seat, looking through a book.

"That was pretty stupid." Ron agreed, looking back at Seamus. "Mate, you're just stupid."

"You are messing with our friendship!" Harry bursted out, making Ron and Parvati jump. Seamus seemed unfazed, his eyes still absorbed with the ceiling.

"It takes a god among men." He looked at Harry and smiled. "Come on Harry. You should have done something sooner. If you're not going to do anything and you won't let nature do anything, you're just going to have to deal with you're nearest and dearest friends to do everything."

"Hermione is crying because of a fake relationship you cooked up."

"So?" Seamus shrugged. "Then go upstairs and tell her everything."

"Maybe I will!" But Harry didn't move.

Seamus smiled and nodded his head. "Good man."

"No, you know, as well as I do, she'll kill me before I even get out the 'hello'."

"I know, that makes it even more brilliant." His hand found his head. He turned and glared at Parvati.

"You are _such_ a git."

---------------

Tuesday had become the day from hell to Harry. He remembered getting up, bumping into Hermione, falling into a bad mood, Parvati kissing him, Hermione missing all her classes, threatening Seamus, and Ginny coming in at eleven telling him to just stay at Gryffindor tower.

It wasn't that much of a surprise to see fresh launder clothes at the foot of his old bed. He hadn't slept as comfortably as he did in the head tower. Maybe this was a punishment.

It was well past lunch, and he was awoken from his thought as McGonagall told off Seamus for laughing at Hannah Abbot, who had turned her pillow into raccoon with no arms or legs.

Hermione was sitting in the front of the classroom next to Neville, who she had grabbed and practically slammed into the chair next to her. She had turned her pillow into a raccoon on the third attempt and was now taking notes from the text book. Neville, who had simply turned the pillow case into a fur pillow case, was watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Harry turned to his raccoon and petted it gently. He was the fifth person to fully transfigure their pillow, and now he could either take notes or wait patiently. He felt it went against his nature to open the book and start taking notes when he had successfully transfigured his pillow. Ron was poking his raccoon with his wand, trying to change the animal's fur color. They were waiting on a hand full of students at this point.

"Have you calmed down?" Harry turned towards Ron and groaned.

"I'm going to kill him."

"That's fine, one less git in the world." Ron was all for killing Seamus, he had been coming up with plans on how to do it all day.

This was basically why Harry and him were such good friends. Not everyone wants to sit in the jail cell with you.

"Should I talk to her?"

"No." Parvati turned around looking at Harry. "Trust me Harry, give it one more day and she'll be in your arms."

Harry caught Hermione looking towards Parvati and him, daggers in her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Parvati turned, looked at Hermione, turned back around, rolled her eyes, and then in a high giggly voice said, "Oh Harry, that's so funny!"

Ronn jumped as Parvati's laugh filled the room. Harry stared at her and then quickly chuckled as she kicked him under the table.

"I can't wait to see you after Quidditch Practice!" And she turned back around again, flashing a large smile to a now steaming Hermione.

"You know," Ron whispered as Harry's smiled faded from his face. "I think they're trying to get ya killed, mate."

Why couldn't he _know_ what it was like to not have a difficult life?

---------------

Harry sat on his broom watching Ginny and Dean throw the quaffle to each other. Ron and Venus De Marco, one of the Gryffindor's Chasers, were by the goal post talking to each other. And the last Gryffindor Chaser, Michael Morffin, were with the Beaters, Riley Rexias and Oliver Tobin, bouncing one of the bludgers at each other.

They had been practicing for almost two hours, and after much nagging, Harry said that they were finished. Only no one seemed to want to leave.

Harry glanced over to the bleachers, Parvati waved to him and he waved back, smiling slightly from his broom. He was starting to like all the little extra attention he was getting, even though it wasn't from Hermione.

Speaking of Hermione, she sat in the higher bleachers with Malfoy, glaring down at Parvati.

"She's such a tramp." Draco sighed and let his head hang back. He had only asked if she knew if Ginny had finished practice. That was it. How Hermione had managed to get him to go with her to the pitch was beyond him. His money was on a spell of some sort, but he couldn't prove it.

"What are you doing here?" His head popped up and he smiled widely as he saw Ginny hovering in front of them.

"I didn't know if you were done or not. And Granger thought we should find out for ourselves."

"Oh," Ginny looked over at Hermione who was still staring down the bleachers. "Hermione, do you want to talk to Harry? It'll be perfect, you can borrow my broom and just fly over to--"

"I am not flying!" Hermione moved farther on to the bleacher.

Ginny sighed, "I'll be right back."

"No, wait!" Draco jumped up but Ginny was already zooming away from them. "Damn Merlin's beard."

"Don't swear." Hermione mumbled, looking across the field to Harry. It had felt like days since she had last seen him. Her whole body was hurting from lack of sleep. Part of her just wanted to rush him and throw him to the ground. Her eyes grew wide as she saw him flying towards her. The other part was personally going to kill Ginny Weasley.

"Ginny said you wanted to talk to me." _Personally_ going to kill Ginevra _bloody_ Weasley.

"I, um, I didn't…" Hermione closed her mouth, she didn't know what to say to him. He looked at her, big green eyes staring at her, his lips in a perfect straight line. Lips that Parvati, the heifer had tasted. Parvati was on a hit list as well.

"Did you want to talk to me?" He sounded hopeful.

"I… no." There was a loud groan from Malfoy. Hermione looked at Draco, glared, and turned back to Harry. "I thought I had to ask you something but I--"

"Harry!" The two looked down a few bleachers, to see Parvati standing up and smiling widely at them. "I have to go and do some work, I'll see you at the tower, right?"

"Yeah. Hold on a second Hermione." Harry slid off his broom and walked down a few bleachers, he captured Parvati in a hug, whispering something in her ear. Parvati's smile faded a bit, but then brighten. She pulled away from him, kissed him briefly on the lips, and then skipped down the bleachers with Lavender giggling behind her.

Harry watched her walk off, shook his head, smiled. and then walked back up to Hermione and Draco.

"What were you saying?"

It echoed over the field. Draco sat stunned, as the other players turned their brooms towards the direction of Hermione and Harry.

"Hermione!" She looked at Ginny and turned back to Harry. She rushed down the bleachers, disappearing out of the pitch.

Harry stood, his cheek red from her hand. The burn slowly coursing through his body. He closed his eyes, feeling the tingling sensation the swept over his face.

"Are you ok?" Ginny had hopped off her broom, as Ron and Venus were hovering in front of them.

"I'm fine." He turned and looked where Hermione had disappeared. "I'm perfectly fine."

---------------

Parvati sat on a chair, holding the ice pack over Harry's cheek as he laid down on the couch. Lavender was sitting next to him, patting him gently on the arm. They had taken it upon themselves to try and comfort him.

Ron, who had been parading around shouting at Seamus, had calmed himself and was taking a shower. Ginny still had not returned from wherever she had gone to.

"I hate him." Harry mumbled, staring at the ceiling.

"We know." Lavender and Parvati nodded.

"I hope he dies."

"We do too."

"I am right here." Seamus said, rolling his eyes.

"He's such a git."

"He is."

Seamus shook his head and fell backwards on to the armchair across from them. He jumped back up and glared as he saw Ron's Knight from Wizard's Chess, trying to stab him. He picked it up and tossed it on a nearby table. He sat down and crossed his legs, staring at Harry and the two girls. He rolled his eyes once again.

Ginny walked through the port hole. She smiled as she walked over to the group.

"How are you feeling?"

"He's still in shock." Lavender stated, patting his arm.

"What did you find out?" Seamus asked, praying for some good news.

"Nothing?" Ginny shrugged and sat over Harry's shins. "I was with Draco. With all this Harry and Hermione stuff, I was completely forgetting about my own love life."

"You have one simple job, you know this, right?"

"I also have a life. Something you should start looking into."

"This is _both_ of your faults!" Harry shot up, shouting at the two of them.

Lavender glared at them as Parvati tried to get him to lay down. Ginny moved her position and sat at the table, facing the group.

"Don't go blaming us for--" Seamus stopped as Parvati looked at him murderously. Obviously you did not mess with her pretend boyfriends when they were in pain.

"I think we need to go talk to Hermione. This was a horrible idea." Parvati stated, looking down at Harry who had a blank stare over his face.

"How the hell was I suppose to know they take it this badly?" Seamus shouted. The better part of the tower turned and looked at him.

"You're a boy, so of course you wouldn't know that they would react as violently as they have. As girls, we should have _known_." Lavender stated.

"That's a horrible double standard." Dean stated. "Neville, Terry, Draco, and I told you this was going to bite you in the arse. You need to let sleeping dogs lye."

"What does that mean?" Seamus looked at his best friend.

"It means you're all stupid." Dean rolled his eyes. "Do you ever once think about letting Hermione and Harry just find it in themselves to tell each other?"

The other four Gryffindors stared at him, it was clear none of them thought Hermione and Harry were capable of getting themselves together without outside help.

"I'm going back to the tower." Harry sat up, his cheek was still red, but he didn't feel it any longer. He was partially numb. He very well could have lost his best friend, as well as the love of his life.

"Are you sure you want to go back?" Lavender asked.

Harry looked at her as he stood up from the couch. He wanted to see Hermione. "Yes."

---------------

It was Thursday afternoon, and the school was all a buzz with Harry and Hermione. Were they or weren't they a couple? Did Parvati give Harry a love potion and start a love affair? Was Hermione and Ron having a secret love affair to get back at Harry? It was random stories that filled the corridors. Everyone knew Hermione and Harry, they were Head Boy and Girl. Inseparable best friends, who were seen, often, cuddling and holding hands. For Merlin's sake, it was the _smartest_ witch, Little Ms. Know-it-all and the _bravest_ wizard, The Boy-Who-Lived. And now everyone was talking about the fight on the Quidditch pitch, the scene from breakfast, and the fact the Hermione had missed all her classes on Tuesday and now Harry had missed all his classes on Wednesday, only made the gossip juicier.

"He told her that she was _too_ smart for him, and Parvati was the girl for him." Ron rolled his eyes as the third year Ravenclaw went into false details with her friends.

"Oh, no, that's so horrible." Another one of the girls stated, placing her hand to her mouth.

"And then he went and grabbed Parvati, kissing her passionately."

"Poor Hermione!"

Ron sighed loudly. He had been trapped behind them for several minutes and was getting frustrated.

"Oy! Ten points from Ravenclaw. _Move_." The girls all turned to him and then fluttered as a flock down the hall. "Stupid third years."

It had been a long and slow day. He hadn't seen Harry, but had been covering for him to all the teachers. Having heard the gossip and rumors themselves, they were inclined to ask Ron if there had been a disagreement with the Heads of school. Ron had shrugged and said that they had some type of argument, but it wasn't his place. This seemed to be sufficient enough because generally the teacher allowed him to leave.

He walked into the library and began weaving in and out of the book shelves. She had been at all their classes and had kept looking at Harry's chair guiltily.

Ron really didn't want to involve himself when it came to Hermione. He had a feeling that if someone, not Ginny, didn't intervene though, Romeo and Juliet would indeed find another tragic ending. And as much as his anger still rested with Hermione, he didn't want to see his two best friends unhappy.

"Hermione?" She looked up and then back down at her book.

"Hey Ron."

"What are you doing up here?"

"Some homework." She looked back up again, briefly taking him in. "What are _you_ doing up here?"

"Looking for you, actually." Ron sat down next to her.

"Why?" She was watching him, as if he was about to do something illegal, like pull out a baby dragon from his robes.

"We need to talk about Harry."

"What about Harry?" Hermione looked away from him, back to the book in front of her.

"You _like_ him."

"I--"

"You _like_ him." Ron cut her off. He stared at the side of her face, watching as her eyes looked at him and then back to the book.

"Ron I--"

"Parvati doesn't like him, she's just trying to get you in a fit. Seamus is stupid." He felt the less she knew would be more of an explanation in the long run.

"Ron--"

"Hermione, I know that you like him because, well, it's obvious. And he likes you a lot too. And you two, should just be together."

"I don't like him!" Hermione shouted. Ron could see the librarian walking across them, slowly glaring at the two. Ron looked at her Hermione, ready to say something when he noticed the tears falling from her face. "I _love_ him."

Hermione flung herself into Ron and cried into his wools. Ron looked at the ceiling and mouthing 'why?'. He awkwardly began patting her back.

Bloody girls, always making a small thing into everything. _Love_? Pssh.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Oh, come now, haven't we already gone over this.

**Notes:** You guys, are amazing, and I hope you enjoy the last chapter. It's sweet and very cute. I don't know how funny it really is, but oh well. I start school tomorrow, so hopefully after I get school together and work I'll be able to find time and crank out more stories. Happy Readings!!

* * *

Paper bags and plastic hearts all are belongings in shopping carts  
It's goodbye, but we got one more night  
Let's get drunk and ride around and make peace with an empty town  
We can make it right. Throw it away, forget yesterday.  
We'll make the great escape, we won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway. Watch it burn, let it die, cause we are finally free tonight  
Tonight will change our lives, it's so good to be by your side  
But we'll cry, we won't give up the fight  
We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs, and they'll think it's just cause were young and we'll feel so alive.  
All of the wasted time, the hours that were left behind  
The answers that we'll never find, they don't mean a thing tonight  
Throw it away, forget yesterday. We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say, they don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn, let it die, cause we are finally free tonight 

**-The Great Escape (Boys Like Girls)-**

* * *

Harry laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't attended any of his classes. It all honesty, it wasn't because he didn't want to face her, or he didn't want to deal with his other friends. No, he simply wanted a break. It had been such a stressful week and he just didn't want to _deal_ anymore. He had gotten back to the tower the night before and had fled to his bedroom. Wanting to see her was not enough at this point.

"I know your up there." He stated, his eyes glaring at the ceiling. "Whoever is up there, give me a break."

He had the most miserable existence for the longest part of his life. At one, his parents were murdered and some crazy, lunatic of a man marked him as his equal. Then he lived with the most horrible sort of people, for ten years. His first year of school a teacher tried to kill him. Second year Ginny was possessed and Hermione was petrified. Third year he met Dementors and found out his godfather was a fugitive. Fourth year another crazy, lunatic of a man tried to kill him through a consistent year of subtle death traps; leading to the resurrection of the first crazy man. Fifth year he was tricked numerous times by said crazy man, which led to the death of his godfather. Sixth year, he was up in arms with Hermione about a book by his arch nemesis (at least one of them) while performing numerous and dangerous tasks with his mentor; which led up to him facing the crazy, lunatic of a man by himself the day of his birthday. And by some miracle of Merlin, he survived, again. Now, _now_, in his seventh year he was up against one of the more dangerous obstacles of his life, a girl.

Bloody girls.

He felt a little bit of shame, facing a girl was no scarier then facing Voldermort. Then again, Voldermort didn't make his stomach do flips and his head completely black out. Voldermort tried to kill him, there was a chance he would die and it would all go away. Girls _never_ went away. And even though Hermione could kill him, _easily_, she wouldn't.

Dammit, he deserved a break.

How did it get this far? She's his _best_ friend. It didn't matter that she was the first person he ran to when he had a problem. It didn't matter that she made his whole body tingle every time she ruffled his hair or held his hand. It didn't matter that she was _always_ there for him. Through every heart break, through every missed test, ever Quidditch game, and ever laugh or smile, Hermione was there.

Harry sighed. He couldn't even remember when he had started feeling this way. He would have never even thought she be this person. He thought Ginny, in all honesty, he had really thought it would be Ginny. But after a month of random dates and stolen kisses, he noticed that he was spending more time with Hermione then with Ginny. Hermione was the one he would go in _search_ of. Half of the time he really didn't have a clue where Ginny was. He liked Ginny, but he loved Hermione.

He sat up in bed, his body tingling all over, and his heart racing. He loved Hermione.

Bloody hell.

----------------

"You're in love with Hermione?" Ron stared at him and then placed his hand over his face.

"That's so romantic." Ginny smiled. Harry had rushed down to the Great hall and had whispered quickly to Ron his realization. Ginny had leaned in and smiled, her eyes going glassy. "You two would have such cute children."

Harry rolled his eyes and looked at Ron who was taking deep breaths.

"What's wrong?" Harry's voice was still dropped.

"Nothing, it's just that you and Hermione are the most bloody difficult people I have ever met. And I'm never involving myself with your problems ever again."

Harry glared at him and turned to the plate in front of him.

"Hello." They turned and looked as Luna stood behind them. "Ron, I need to talk to you."

Without waiting for an answer, Luna grabbed Ron and hoisted him up, dragging him out of the Great Hall with her.

"What was that all about?" Draco asked, resting his hand on Ginny's shoulder.

"Young love." She sighed. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." Draco looked at Harry. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better!" Harry gave the boy a cheeky smile and turned back to his dinner.

"You Gryffindors. Happy little freaks."

"Thank you Malfoy." Harry stated, eating whatever was on his plate. Malfoy rolled his eyes and gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you coming to Hogsmead with me on Saturday?"

"We have the Hogsmead trip on Saturday!" Ginny and Draco jumped as Harry's head snapped up and he shouted.

"Very good Potter." Malfoy said, looking at Ginny.

"I'll tell her on Saturday. It'll be perfect. _Don't_ you dare say anything to her or Seamus or Parvati or anyone. It'll be _perfect_." Harry jumped off the bench and raced out of the Great Hall, his robes billowing behind him.

"What is going on?" Draco asked, looking at Ginny.

"I think Harry and Hermione are finally coming to their senses."

----------------

Hermione sat in the library, her face in her hands, staring into space. It had been an hour or so since Ron had been there and now she was simply thinking about the past few days. She hadn't actually felt Harry in two days, which in their time was too long. She sighed as she tried to remember his scent, his shampoo, the little hair that always fell into his eyes.

Something flashed across the opening to her sitting area. She focused on the opening to see someone backtrack. Her heart started to race as Harry looked at her.

"Where have you been?"

"What do you want Harry?" Her voice was hard, there was no reason to be nice to him.

"I want to apologize." Her eyes met his. "This whole thing has been one mistake after another."

"What whole thing? Parvati? Why didn't you tell me the two of you were going together?" Hurt was evident as she looked at him.

"We aren't going together." He walked over, sitting next to her. "We were never going together, nor have we ever had a thing. Seamus was trying to make it so you and I would get into a fight and not talk to each other. So he, Ginny, and Parvati planned the whole thing. I don't like Parvati."

Hermione looked at him. "That was a horrible trick, why didn't you tell me what they were doing? I _hit_ you."

"I didn't tell you because I was mad at you for the whole 'why?' thing. I was being immature and stupid. So stupid."

"I was curious why you brought me up to bed." Hermione closed her eyes.

"I guess I got mad that you weren't a little more grateful."

"Harry, I am sorry it's just been such a bad week."

"You're telling me." He smiled and grabbed her hands in his. He looked down as he felt her smooth skin on his fingertips. "How about if we pretend none of it happened? Just go back to normal."

Hermione smiled and nodded her head. "I think that would be a great idea."

"We have a Hogsmead weekend coming up." He began to smile.

"Yes, I know."

"How about we spend all day Saturday together, no Ron, Ginny, no one. Just you and me?" Hermione bit her lip but smiled.

"Sounds wonderful."

"I missed you so much!" Hermione nodded and threw herself at him. He chuckled and hugged her tightly. Hermione drunk him in, his scent intoxicating her senses.

"I missed you too." Her voice seemed so small in his ears.

"I need help with Transfiguration."

"You're such a lost cause." Hermione shook her head. Harry merely rolled his eyes and took her hand, pulling her with him to the Heads Tower.

----------------

Ron walked down the corridors, hands in his pockets and a silly grin on his lips.

"Ron, what are you doing out of bed?" He looked up and his silly grin widened as he saw Harry and Hermione patrolling the halls.

"I was walking Luna back to her dorm."

"You were with Luna? This entire time?" Harry looked confused as she stared at his best friend.

"Yep, we went to Hagrid's and petted the Threstals. And then we went to the Astronomy Tower and looked at constellations."

"You can't see the Threstals." Hermione stated.

"So?" His grin widen.

"You two snogged, didn't you?" Harry began to smirk.

"No!" Ron stated, his silly grin forming into a pout. "She gave me a very lady like kiss on the cheek and then walked into her dorm." He held his head a little higher and marched past them towards Gryffindor tower.

"She so snogged him." Harry stated, watching Ron strut down the corridor.

"I knew she liked him." Hermione stated, shaking her head and continuing their patrol around the school.

"I had a feeling myself. When we were giving her flying lessons, she get messing up. And finally I asked her why she was having such problems with everything and she did a perfect nose dive. She just liked seeing Ron get all flustered." Harry stretched up, yawning. "I am tired."

"That is so sad."

"Come on Mione, it's been forever."

"It's been forty minutes." She rolled her eyes. "You are just useless, you know that right?"

"I've been told." He stated dryly. He smiled and looked down at her.

Hermione's head was bubbling, she had forgotten how much she enjoyed his company. She looked over and saw him smiling at her.

"What?"

"I just forgot how much you meant to me."

With a blush and a silly smile forming on her lips she looked at the floor and watched their feet move forward.

"Well, next time try to remember before you do anything Seamus suggests."

"I'll try." She laughed and looked up.

"Draco?" He jumped up and moved away from Ginny who was smiling at her two friends.

"Hello Hermio--"

"Don't hello me missy." Hermione had narrowed her eyes. "Why aren't you in bed, what are you doing, in the middle of a hall no less, with Draco?"

"We were walking to Gryffindor tower and got," Ginny looked at the ceiling and shrugged. "I don't know, distracted."

"You got distracted? In the middle of the corridor?" Hermione's eyes narrowed even more. Harry stood off to the side, sighing. Draco was standing next to him watching the two girls with interest.

"I think I liked it better when you two weren't talking." He looked at Harry.

"Shut up Malfoy."

"Ginerva Weasley." Hermione's face was growing red.

"It's _not_ that big of a deal Hermione." Ginny huffed. "Me and my boyfriend are just being romantic!"

"This isn't romantic! This is breaking school rules!"

"Girls, come on now. We'll take Ginny back to the Gryffindor tower, ok ?" Harry turned to Draco who rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"Ok, get to your own dorm Malfoy." Draco gave Harry a very significant look and then spun around towards his own dorms. Harry shook his head and stared at Ginny.

"Come on you." He grabbed her arm and began walking towards the Gryffindor tower.

"I liked it better when you two weren't talking as well." She stuck out her tongue.

"We like it better when you don't talk too."

"Uh, and after all I've done for you two!"

----------------

Hermione walked out of Honeydukes eating truffles that Harry had bought her. They had only been at Hogsmead for an hour, but were already having the times of their lives. Grant you, they had been simply walking around and doing some minimal shopping.

"Let's go to Madam Puddifoot's." Hermione smiled. Harry looked towards the tea shop, sitting quietly off the main street. He could see a few couples sitting outside, drinking steaming cups of liquids and laughing as they talked. He looked at Hermione, noting her rosy cheeks and scarf clad neck. The weather had started getting colder and as appetizing as tea sounded, he was a little thrown off that she wanted to sit at the shop. Especially after being quoted one year it was 'quaint and overly done to look more fancy then it actually was'.

"Sure." He had been to Madam Puddifoot's two times. Once with Cho Chang, which had turned into a disaster. And then with Ron, because The Three Broomsticks was closed for the afternoon and it had been a harshly cold day.

They walked over and sat down at a table near Ernie and Hannah who were drinking large glass mugs of foamy hot chocolate.

"Hey Ernie, hey Hannah."

"Hey you two." Ernie and Hannah said together. They looked at each and laughed. Ernie gingerly took his date's hand. He looked over to Hermione and gave a large smile.

"Professor Sprout told me we got an 'O' on our project."

"Really?" Hermione's face lit up. "When did she tell you?"

"This morning when we were getting in line for here." Ernie shrugged. "I figure she knew I'd pass it on to you."

"Thank you!" Hermione giggled turning to Harry. "Ha, ha I got an '_O_' on my project."

"So did Neville and I." Harry laughed as Hermione's smile lowered. "Sprout told Neville about it yesterday."

"That's not fair, you didn't do anything to help Neville." Hermione pouted.

"So? I did enough for you that it was fair enough for me and Neville."

"Oh, hush."

"What can I get you two?" They looked up to see a slightly older witch, smiling warmly down at them.

"I'll have some peppermint tea, please?" Hermione smiled back.

"I'll have black tea. Please." Harry stated, clearing his throat. The woman continued to smile, nodding her head and walking into the shop, which had more chairs and tables.

"Is Ginny talking to you yet?" Harry asked, looking around as other students he knew walked in and out of the shop, sitting at the tables neighboring theirs.

"No, but I hardly feel it's a bad thing. She shouldn't have been out so late with Malfoy." Hermione thanked the old witch as she gently placed their tea in front of them. "She shouldn't take advantage of us like that."

"I think she was just trying to score some alone time with him. She barely spent any real time with him all this week."

"That's hardly the point." She licked her lips as she swallowed the hot liquid. "I do love this tea."

"When did you come here?" Harry was under the impression that Hermione had never tried Madam Puddifoot's tea. She was usually always with him or Ron, or staying at the castle because of some large test or project.

"I've been here loads of times. Krum took me a few times during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. In-between tasks and such. I felt rather guilty because I wanted to be there for you, but he was very persistent. Padma and Lisa would meet me here during third year to do some of our Defense Against the Dark Art assignments. If you remember we shared the class with them. Ron took me here a few times at the end of last year."

"When did he take you last year?" Harry couldn't remember Ron ever telling him about it, or even when the two could have gone.

"Well, it was right before we started dating actually, while you and Dumbledore were on those missions. You were gone for the entire weekend some times." Hermione looked guilty as her voice got lower and lower.

"No matter." Harry shook his head smiling. "I am glad you like the tea."

This seemed to brighten Hermione up and she took another long sip of the hot liquid.

They had started talking about classes and then about what they wanted for Christmas. Ron had come over and sat with them for a little while, but then saw Luna and had gotten up quickly, barely excusing himself, and ran after her. Ginny and Malfoy walked past them, Malfoy gave a curt nod while Ginny ignored them, her head held very high.

"Perfect making's for a Malfoy." Hermione curtly stated.

They continued drinking tea and talking about everything and anything they could think of. Harry told her stories of the Dursleys. And Hermione told him stories of having dentists for parents. They laughed and joked until they couldn't breathe. Often enough they would smile and greet their fellow students, talking to them for brief minutes at a time. It wasn't until McGonagall had come over to them and demanded they go back to the castle.

Harry had never been more impressed with himself. It was the first time in the four years he was allowed to visit Hogsmead that he had stayed the entire day.

He grabbed Hermione's hand and held it all the way from Madam Puddifoot's to the Head's Tower.

----------------

Harry sat against the bottom of the couch, staring at the dancing flames in the fire place. He was freshly showered and was wearing his favorite pajamas. A pair of blue flannel pants and a baby blue tee-shirt that was form fitting but completely comfortable.

"Hey." He turned his head and smiled as Hermione walked over to him. Her hair was wet and was pulled back with a clip. She was wearing red silky material pajama pants and a white tank top that hugged her body in all the right spots.

Harry watched as she moved towards him, sitting down in such a position that made it easy to cuddle herself next to him. Jasmine and vanilla filled the space around them, intoxicating whatever was left of the two's self control.

"I'm so tired." Hermione smiled, leaning into Harry. He let his hand slip around her shoulders, pressing her closer to him.

"Me too." He said, his voice low and gruff. "Mione?"

"Mm?" Brown crashed with green.

"I need to tell you something."

"What?"

Without thinking, without planning it, he kissed her. Her lips were soft and smooth against his, her breathe hot in his mouth as she opened up for him. Her hands wrapped around his back as she fell back on the soft carpet. His hands were lost in the mess of wet strands and curls.

"Mm, Harry." Harry pulled away from her face, looking down at her. She was smiling up at him. "Thank you, for today."

"Of course." He smiled, his dashing, charming smile.

"Promise me you'll never kiss another girl." Harry laughed, leaning down and kissing her again.

"What other girls Mione? What other girls?" She gently hit him, pulling him back over her.

It was the most _real_ magical days they had ever experienced.

----------------

Hermione sat at the Great Hall, looking at a book and eating her breakfast. Ginny was sitting across from her looking over notes with one of the other girls in her year. Malfoy reluctantly was sitting next to Ginny, eating the bacon off her plate. Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were huddled a little ways down talking about Quidditch and some tactics that Harry should use at the next match.

"Hey Mione." Hermione's spine had chills going down it as his voice tickled her ear. She looked over her shoulder and smiled brightly at him.

"I thought you might want a little stay in after last night." She giggled as his hand tickled her side. He sat down and shrugged making a plate for himself.

"We can take a nap later if we're tired."

"If it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Potter, how are you two?" They both turned and looked at Seamus who was wearing a Cheshire cat smile on his face.

"If you must know, we're doing great." Harry smiled back and looked at Hermione. "Mrs. Potter, not too bad of a ring, what do you think?"

Hermione laughed and pecked him on the lips. "I think it's perfect."

Seamus' jaw dropped as the rest of them laughed and gave congratulatory pats on the back to Harry. Ron even went as far as to ruffle Hermione's hair.

"And thank you Seamus, I don't think we would have fully realized exactly what we were missing out on if you hadn't tortured us." Harry gently patted Seamus' hand on the table.

"Yes, thank you Seamus." Hermione winked and leaned her head on Harry's shoulder.

"Do you know what this means?" Neville asked, the table turned to him. "Seamus owes us some bottles of butterbeer."

"What are you talking about?" Seamus croaked out, looking at Neville.

"You said that you would buy every Gryffindor a bottle of butterbeer if Harry and Hermione ever figured out they had the hots for each other." Neville had a small twinkle in his eye. "I guess we won."

Dean busted out laughing hitting the table. "He's right! You promised us!"

"Well, thanks in advance for the butterbeer." Parvati stated, patting Seamus' shoulder.

"I like mine cold." Lavender stated, following Parvati.

"Looks like you got some buying to do." Ron clapped Seamus hard on the back.

The table laughed as Seamus began to bargain with the guys.

"So," Ginny smiled at them, the other night forgotten. "What are you going to name the kids?"

Hermione laughed and patted Harry's leg. "We have time to figure that out. First he has to meet my parents."

Harry looked at her with wide eyes.

"Your parents?"


End file.
